Structural plaster - photo of finishing walls and facades with structural plaster. Decorative plaster for interior wall finishing Structural wall finishing

Structural plaster is decorative and is widely used when finishing walls to improve their appearance. It is a plaster mass containing additives in the form of various granules - small pebbles, pieces of quartz, wood, mica, etc.

By using this type of coating, you can imitate granite, marble, structural fabrics, ornamental wood, snakeskin, torn stone and other materials.

The plaster mass can be fine- and coarse-grained. And if a surface covered with fine-grained plaster looks smooth, then the same surface, when using large granules, acquires a pronounced texture. Therefore, a coarse-grained mixture is more often used for decorative finishing of facades, and a fine-grained mixture for interior spaces.

But it should be taken into account that in many respects the appearance of the treated surface also depends on what tools (rollers, spatulas, sprayers) are used to apply decorative plaster. The appearance of the layer also depends on the method of its application. As a result, you can achieve a result that can fit perfectly into an interior decorated in any style, combining with any design.

Structural plaster is a coating that can imitate granite, marble, fabrics, rare types of wood, snakeskin, torn stone and other materials. With minimal skills, anyone can apply such a coating to walls and achieve the desired effect.

Why structural plaster?

We will try to help those who are deciding whether to use structural plaster for finishing. First of all, it should be noted that its undoubted advantages are enviable plasticity and pliability when processed with any tools. It is also important that this kind of mixture does not have to be diluted - you can buy it ready-made and packaged in 15-25 liter containers.

The list of advantages of this building material does not end there. Let's continue this list:

• structural plaster can be used for any decoration - both external and internal;
• it can be applied to virtually any surface, perfectly masking defects;
• This is a strong, durable, shock- and scratch-resistant, waterproof coating that is easy to clean;
• microporous surface allows the walls to breathe;
• the plasticity of such decorative plaster allows you to create any desired relief on the surface;
• it withstands large temperature changes well;
• during cosmetic repairs, the plaster can be easily repainted;
• If you use stencils and rollers, you can get any design on a plastered wall.

It should be mentioned that decorative plaster also has disadvantages:

• the coating is quite heavy - 1 m2 requires from 2.5 to 4.5 kg of solution;
• The coating after application is a monolith, so before applying a new coating, the old surface will have to be thoroughly leveled.

Applying a working layer

Do-it-yourself structural plaster on a wall is most often applied in stages. These steps are discussed in more detail below.

Stage one - preparing the surface to be treated

First of all, you should clean the walls by removing old paint and wallpaper. At the same time, it is not at all necessary to achieve impeccable smoothness - the applied layer will level the wall and smooth out any defects on it. You just need to make sure that there are no obvious pits or bumps left, and that the prepared surface is strong, visually smooth and dry.

Significant defects should be smoothed out, and deep cracks and holes should be filled with putty. Thanks to this, later the process of applying decorative plaster to the walls will not only be facilitated, but its consumption will also be noticeably reduced. Before moving on to the next stage, the applied leveling layer should be thoroughly dried.

Stage two - applying primer

After the leveling layer has completely dried, a layer of liquid primer is applied to it. To apply it, paint rollers or brushes are usually used. Penetrating into microscopic cracks, the applied primer will reliably protect the wall from swelling, moisture and fungus, which will later ensure more reliable adhesion of the plaster to the base.

It is better to use a deep penetration primer, which especially significantly improves this adhesion. For wood, a special mineral primer is required; for all other surfaces, an ordinary primer can be used. To be on the safe side, after the primer has completely dried, it is advisable to apply an additional primer layer. If you use rollers, the joints between sheets of bases made of chipboard, plasterboard, etc. will be significantly strengthened.

It is advisable that the primer and structural plaster are from the same manufacturer. It takes at least a day for the applied primer to dry completely. After it has dried, you can begin the process of applying plaster.

Stage three - applying structural plaster

If you purchased not a ready-made solution, but a dry mixture, then it should be mixed with water in the specified proportion and stirred thoroughly. It is better to use a drill with an attachment or a construction mixer. The plaster should mature for about ten minutes, after which it should be mixed again.

Due to the plasticity of the solution, various tools can be used to apply it - rollers, spatulas, brushes, combs, stamps. Fine-grained plaster is convenient to apply using a sprayer. It's better to start from the top of the walls.

The first layer of solution is applied to the prepared surface by spraying. The layer is leveled, corners and cornices are straightened. A covering layer is applied to the set spray, which after leveling must be allowed to set, but not completely.

A final layer of decorative plaster is applied on top of the covering. To obtain a special pattern, structural rollers, brushes, notched spatulas, and sponges are used. Rollers are especially convenient because they provide a wide variety and repeatability of applied patterns. After the coating has completely hardened, sand the ridges, remove dust and dirt with a damp sponge, and then dry thoroughly.

1. Material advantages
2. Properties of the structural mixture
3. Variety of textures
4. Types of material
5. How to apply
6. Tools
7. Sequence of work
8. Finishing

Structural plaster is considered an inexpensive and original facing material. It is distinguished by excellent performance characteristics, good adhesion to surfaces, a variety of textures, a rich color palette, and an aesthetic appearance. This material is a heterogeneous mixture consisting of many components and is used to create decorative wall coverings in living rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, toilets, and balconies.

Material advantages

An important feature of structural decorative plaster is its excellent adhesion to any surface:

• concrete;
• brick;
• cement;
• metal;
• wooden;
• plasterboard;
• OSB boards and chipboards.

Properties of the structural mixture

In addition to highly artistic qualities, such decorative coatings are distinguished by such features as:

• strength;
• the ability to mask minor surface imperfections;
• no pungent odor;
• immunity to ultraviolet radiation;
• ability to pass air;
• water resistance;
• wear resistance;
• plastic;
• non-susceptibility to the formation of mold and any types of microorganisms;
• vapor permeability;
• resistance to temperature changes;
• ease of care;
• suitability for the use of aggressive detergents;
• long service life.

Depending on the type of structural mixture, surfaces retain their characteristics and impeccable visual qualities from 10 to 25 years.

Composition of structural type plaster

Structural decorative plaster is characterized by a variety of types and textures of finishing, which is achieved due to the small fractions included in the composition:

• marble or granite chips;
• wood or textile fiber;
• fine- and coarse-grained sand;
• fragments of river and sea shells;
• cellulose;
• foil;
• crushed fragments of mica, quartz, perlite.

The size of the fractions is directly related to the material consumption, which varies from 1 to 3 kg per 1 square meter. m.

Variety of textures

Depending on the plaster filler and application method, the surface may look like:

• sand wall or dunes;
• orange peel;
• luxury tanned or cracked leather;
• fish scales;
• various reliefs;
• reptile skin;
• smooth or fleecy fabric;
• semi-antique;
• cracked stone surface;
• precious stones.

Particular sophistication of the interior is provided by bas-reliefs that can be applied to a dried plastered surface.

Types of material

There are the following options for structural plaster for interior work, the composition of which determines the price:

• Mineral, which is a dry white substance based on lime and cement, is the most budget-friendly type of coating. Immediately before application, dilute with water in the proportion specified in the instructions for use and stir with a construction mixer or drill with a whisk attachment. At the same time, you should introduce color or paint the surface in the desired color after the layer has dried.

Mineral plaster is environmentally friendly, fireproof, resistant to mold and microorganisms, but is not elastic and may develop cracks over time.

• A synthetic mixture for walls based on acrylic resin is elastic, durable, and environmentally friendly. Sold ready for use.

• Silicone, made on the basis of polymer compounds. It has excellent performance characteristics, such as water resistance, ductility, strength, durability, vapor permeability, resistance to ultraviolet radiation, wear resistance, ease of application and maintenance.

The silicone compound is sold as a tinted, ready-to-use mixture and is more expensive than other types of finishing materials. However, the high price is paid off by long service life (more than 20 years) and impeccable visual qualities.

How to apply

Most mixtures are highly plastic, which greatly simplifies the work.

Tools

Before you begin finishing, you need to check the availability of the necessary equipment. The missing ones should be purchased. You will need:

• construction plumb line;
• level;
• rule;
• plaster scoop;
• trowel for finishing work;
• spatulas – narrow and wide;
• construction hammer;
• pigments or acrylic dyes;
• hard brushes with bristles of different lengths to create texture;
• textured roller;
• roller with a pattern;
• foam and rubber sponge;
• spray gun or texture plaster gun if large areas are being processed.

Preliminary surface preparation

Preparation for applying the structural mixture for interior wall decoration does not take much time. Enough:

• remove the old coating by beating off particularly strong fragments with a hammer;
• using putty and a file, remove noticeable defects - cracks, bulges, irregularities;
• Thoroughly clean the surfaces with a damp cloth (possibly using detergents) to remove dirt and dust. Grease stains are removed using acetone and degreasing compounds;
• Apply a layer of primer to the walls.

Note! There is no point in achieving a perfectly flat surface, since a decorative layer of plaster will mask minor imperfections.

Sequence of work

Before you start plastering, you need to add pigment to the mixture and mix thoroughly or use a white composition.

Silicone dye plaster has the advantage of faster and more efficient finishing.

• The ready-to-use tinted mixture should be applied from above, along the ceiling line or slightly below. The plaster is sprayed or scooped onto the walls and spread with a trowel or spatula from top to bottom.
• Use a narrow spatula to decorate the corners and cornice.
• Leveling the base layer should be done with smooth movements from top to bottom, without pressure.
• After applying the first layer, it is necessary to stop working for some time - from several hours to two days - until the mixture sets.
• The second layer is applied to the dried surface and leveled with a textured or patterned roller. You can create texture with arbitrary movements - wavy, broken, beveled lines, circular and intermittent.

Curly flows and drips, patterns, and abstract drawings look impressive. A surface with small or large fractions of marble chips or perlite looks original. To create additional effects, brushes with stiff bristles are used, with which you can draw furrows, and a foam sponge for scuffs. Several more methods are presented in the next photo.

• Plaster niches and recesses in the walls.

All kinds of designs created using structural material are extremely popular - real and fantastic colors, hieroglyphs, scatterings of stars. For such images, you need to cut out the desired figures on a piece of rubber and attach it to the roller.

Finishing

Depending on the weather, temperature and humidity in the apartment, and the thickness of the applied layers, the structural mixture can dry for about two weeks. After which you should carefully remove dust from all surfaces with a soft cloth, treat with fine sandpaper, clean again and begin applying paint if a white composition was used.

You can avoid disturbing the texture when painting using a rubber sponge soaked in a coloring compound.

Dried walls are covered with a layer of wax.

Decorating walls with your own hands using structural plaster is especially attractive for creative individuals with extraordinary artistic imagination and a penchant for experimentation.

You can watch a specialist apply the plaster in the following video.

How to make your own mixture

If desired, decorative plaster with a pronounced structure can be made by hand, for which you will need:

• dry putty – 6 kg;
• water – 2 l;
• glue that will act as a plasticizer – 0.2 kg;
• fillers - pebbles of different sizes and shapes, glass fragments, beads, finely chopped pieces of foil, sand, fragments of tree bark, etc.

Preparation method:

1. In a large plastic container, use a construction mixer to mix the putty with water.
2. Add glue and filler, mix thoroughly.

Having no experience in applying decorative plaster mixture, it is better to use the composition on one wall in a small room - in a corridor, a small storage room. If it is not possible to immediately create a high-quality coating, the wall should be cleaned and a new layer applied.

Structural plaster is a special mixture for finishing walls and the process of plastering them using a special technology. Homeowners use two ways to obtain embossed decorative plaster: purchasing a ready-made composition or a special method of applying regular plaster.

Plaster as it is

Structural plaster in the interior is a favorable material for work that easily imitates various surfaces: stone, marble, wood. This material consists of several components:

• filler (quartz or river sand);
• mineral or synthetic color (pigment);
• modeling particles that give texture (granules, balls, fibers, threads);
• binder (lime paste, silicate, caustic composition - magnesium oxide, sealed with magnesium chloride).

DIY structural plaster is made by mixing the following components:

• three parts filler;
• one part binder;
• 2-13% pigment (its amount is determined based on the dyeing results);
• modeling particles.

Relief on fresh plaster can be applied with anything: from crumpled polyethylene to your bare hand

There are the following types of textured plaster:

• structural;
• Venetian;
• flock (cereal, chips).

Test colors

After making structural plaster with your own hands, the resulting the mixture must be tested with a test color: This is done to check the adhesion of the material to the surface and the correct selection of color and texture. Painting is done on a sheet of plywood measuring up to half a meter square. and a thickness of 1-2 cm.

You need to take simple birch or pine plywood with casein glue, which does not have impregnation. Only a new sheet is suitable, not delaminated, not smeared with dirt, grease, dust, since all these contaminants reduce the adhesive ability of the base. Plywood cannot be replaced with other similar tile material or drywall due to the similarity of the properties of the wall and plywood.

Painting is done as follows: texture plaster is applied to a sheet of plywood in the same way as it would be done on the wall, and wait until it dries completely. Then the plywood is turned over with the painted side facing the floor or placed on its edge, after which it is tapped with a hammer or the handle of a roller or spatula on the reverse side. If the coating holds up, this means that the proportions were observed correctly, and the finished mixture can be used for plastering walls.

Preparing walls for plastering

The preparation stage includes several stages:

• collecting the necessary tools;
• removing old coating from walls;
• sealing cracks;
• puttying.

Next, the wall is primed using a deep penetration compound on putty or stone. The exception is Venetian plaster, which requires a sand base.

Venetian plaster base

When making homemade Venetian plaster, marble dust is replaced with sand., which somewhat reduces the adhesion of the composition, so a substrate is definitely needed. In addition, Venetian plaster performs best if a mother-of-pearl base is applied underneath it.

There are two ways to apply the substrate to the wall:

• painting the wall with white zinc or lead mixed with flax oil mixed with pearl dust and crushed quartz sand;
• painting the base surface with acrylic pearl paint with 10% sand.

Preliminary priming of walls is the key to the durability of future textured plaster

To evaluate the correctness of how to apply structural plaster on dried paint do a test with your fingernail: if applied correctly, a light spot without grains of sand will remain on the nail.

Main stage of work

A base coat of plaster is applied to the walls, after which the textured plaster is applied. In order for the base layer of plaster to level the walls, a system of beacon slats is mounted on them. If the unevenness of the wall is insignificant, you can level it with a level and a rule. The smooth and even surface of the base layer is left to dry, after which they begin to decorate the walls with three-dimensional plaster with their own hands.

The base layer is primed again, covered with plaster and relief is applied using various tools. Rollers for textured plaster, trowels, stencils, stamps, sponges, graters are used. The tool can be purchased at the store, or you can make a relief roller for plaster with your own hands by wrapping fabric, leatherette, polyethylene and other materials around this painting device.

An interesting structural bark beetle plaster is applied in a special way: a grater is placed on a smooth, slightly dried plaster with granular filler, and then rolled, forming winding lines on the surface, reminiscent of the eaten paths of wood insects.

Another way to apply structural plaster can be applied to a cement coating: 5-10% hydrochloric acid is applied to an even layer of cement, after which the wall is washed with water. As a result, an interesting relief will appear on the surface.

After drying, the textured decorative plaster is painted with special acrylic paints. To make the relief more noticeable, use a base and surface color: after the base has dried, the plaster is covered with a surface one, slightly rubbing it off on the protruding parts of the relief. The resulting coating can be coated with wax, which will not only protect it, but also give it a matte shine or another shade.

Cost of structural plasters

The price of Italian-made Venetian structural plaster starts from 1000 rubles per package, Russian - from 400 rubles. Plaster with various fillers will cost 500 rubles if it is made in Russia; foreign plasters, on average, cost from 500 rubles per package.

How to do structural plaster with your own hands can be seen in the video:

Do-it-yourself decorative structural plaster is relatively easy to apply, which is one of the many reasons for choosing it as a finishing material. In addition, it allows for cladding both the exterior and interior of the house. I suggest you familiarize yourself with this finishing option in more detail.

General provisions

My parents' house is in a high groundwater zone and close to a swampy area, which makes it quite damp. It is also worth noting the presence of pets and the considerable age of the building itself, almost half a century.

As a result, when they turned to me for help in carrying out finishing work, I immediately thought about it, since it fully meets the requirements of the current situation, having the following advantages:

• Beautiful appearance. Textured ornaments and any color of your choice provide enormous design possibilities, which will allow you to turn even a new building into a respectable modern cottage;
• Moisture resistance. Will be able to withstand the peculiarities of the local climate, which is characterized by high humidity due to the proximity of high water and swamps;
• Vapor permeability. It will help normalize the microclimate inside the house itself;
• Resistance to mechanical stress. Will tolerate contact with four-legged animals perfectly;
• Masking of defects. Over the course of several decades, the building has acquired its own “scars,” which will be perfectly hidden by decorative plaster;

• Available application instructions. Any decoration always requires a certain skill from the performer, but the material in question already has a high aesthetics in itself, and if you adhere to certain recommendations, it will not be difficult to cope with it;

• Durability. The finishing in question can last for more than a dozen years, allowing you to forget for a long time about the need for new repair work.

In general, all of the above suited me, and I went to the store. This is where we will dwell in more detail, because as interior designer Marina Pochukaeva says:

“Decorative plaster can become the highlight of your interior, or it can ruin everything and turn out to be a pointless waste of money. This is explained by the fact that decorative plasters differ in composition and, accordingly, in characteristics. When planning to apply plaster to the walls, make sure that it is suitable for a particular room, and be sure to follow the application technology. With the right choice and proper application, a coating of decorative plaster will last an incredibly long time, even on the facade of a building.”

Choice

Let’s take a moment to understand the wording a little. Structural plaster is a colorless composition in which lime, cement, acrylic or latex acts as a base, water or a chemical solvent as a diluent, and wood fibers, pieces of stone, quartz or mica as a decorative filler:

The solution is colored using special color additives or by applying paint after it has hardened.

Advice: if you want to make the plaster mixture colored, it is recommended to order tinting using special equipment. Firstly, in this case you can choose any shade you like, and secondly, you can repeat it if necessary, which is almost impossible when mixing by hand.

Structural plaster becomes textured after application and giving it an appropriate relief surface. It can also be called decorative, which is simply a general concept that includes many different solutions and cladding techniques. So don’t be too surprised by such definitions from sellers; they don’t really change the meaning.

There are many offers from various brands. For example, in my search for a suitable solution I came across the following options:

Structural decorative plaster "Stone"

These products are represented by the famous brand “Dessa-Decor”, but are manufactured in Russia. It perfectly imitates limestone, tufa, and masonry, living up to its name, which means “stone” in English.

Advice: if you need to finish a newly built house that has not yet gone through all the shrinkage processes, it is recommended to use Stone plaster, since it contains fiber fibers, which give it high elasticity.

Technical description:

Wet cleaning can be done within two weeks after application. The finished coating is environmentally friendly and does not contain any allergens.

Structural decorative plaster "Bark beetle"

The secret lies in the presence of marble chips in the mixture itself. Thus, in the process of facing work, by grouting the not yet dried layer, characteristic grooves are scratched out, reminiscent of traces of the activity of the bark beetle in the wood. The result is quite unique and attractive.

Here my attention was attracted by the offer of the Ceresit brand, which is very widespread on the domestic market, a ready-made acrylic mixture ST 64, which has the following technical description:

The use of acrylates guarantees high strength qualities and the absence of any toxins during the drying process of the layer.

Structural decorative plaster “Wet silk”

If the imitation of stone was expected, and you can imagine walls corroded by bark beetles, then the cladding under fabric with mother-of-pearl particles still made even me surprised. For my parents, this, of course, would be too extravagant, but I did not deny myself the pleasure of taking a closer look at such material:

This plaster tolerates washing well and can be used in rooms with extremely high humidity.

Structural decorative plaster "Travertine"

This facing material has a very strong external resemblance to limestone rock. It is created on the basis of modified acrylic polymers and a special mineral filler.

Has high performance characteristics:

• Prevents the formation and spread of fungi;
• Does not absorb aromas;
• Easily restored;
• Has a very long service life;
• It has such high strength that pets can even sharpen their claws on it without causing damage.

In my situation, I paid special attention to the last point.

Technical description:

Structural decorative plaster “Encausto Fiorentino”

Thanks to the latest technologies, the ancient recipe is back in trend and allows you to create semi-matte marble cladding for both the internal and external walls of your home.

Compound:

• Aged lime milk;
• Treated lime filler;
• Toxin-free supplements.

When slaked lime, which forms the basis of this product, comes into contact with carbon dioxide, which is abundant in the air around us, a carbonization process occurs, guaranteeing a durable coating.

Technical description:

An excellent way to “dress” a house in marble, which, as a rule, is chosen by people who want to emphasize their status and wealth.

Structural decorative plaster "Decor"

Sold as a dry mixture based on white cement, modified with polymer additives.

Technical description:

Advice: if you do not plan to use the dry mixture immediately after purchase, it is recommended to store it in a dark, dry place. The presence of dampness can cause a petrification process, which will make the product unsuitable for application.

Structural decorative plaster “Alpina Strukturpulz K15 Lamb”

This is an example of dispersion plaster, which has the following technical description:

This option is quite convenient in that it does not require the use of special technologies to form the texture of the applied cladding. “Lamb” is already unusual in itself, but on the other hand, it’s not to everyone’s taste.

Structural decorative plaster "Breeze"

This finish is suitable exclusively for interior work. Due to its attractive appearance, ease of use and acrylic base, which guarantees environmental friendliness, it is very often used to decorate the walls of offices and shops. But for home use this option is quite expensive.

Technical description:

Structural decorative plaster “Diamant-260”

Another very well-known manufacturer, Knauf, offers white mineral structural plaster on a lime-cement base with polymer additives. During application, such a solution creates a uniform granular coating in the form of a fur coat.

Technical description:

Application

Having considered all the proposed options, I settled on the inexpensive Diamant-260 plaster for the exterior decoration of the walls of the house and the especially durable and incredibly beautiful Travertine plaster for the interior decoration.

The general application technology is similar in both cases, and I will briefly introduce you to it:

1. Decorative plaster should be applied to a bare wall. Wallpaper awaited me inside, and bare brick outside. I wet the layer of paper generously, then removed it with a metal spatula, and washed the outer walls with good pressure of water from a hose connected to the well;

1. Next, I treated the walls with a roller with a primer to increase their adhesive properties. In both cases, I used compositions from the same manufacturers as the selected plasters;

1. After the soil had dried, at different periods of time I began first with the external and then with the internal cladding:

• I mixed “Knauf” according to the attached instructions and, using a spatula, applied it to the external walls, smoothing it with a trowel to the thickness of the grain;

Tip: to knead, it is advisable to use a drill operating at low speeds with a special whisk attachment. This will make the solution as homogeneous as possible.

• I diluted “Travertine” with water and also, using a spatula, applied it to the walls of the interior of the house with a layer of 1-2 mm. I used my original color scheme for different rooms, focusing on the specifics of their purpose;

1. In both cases, before the applied layers hardened, I went over them with special tools:

• On the outside, I used a roller with a textured surface to give the coating an unusual texture. You can also create a pattern using a trowel, a metal rod, or other tools at hand;

• Inside, I added originality to the finish with a hard-bristled brush, and then lightly smoothed the surface with a metal trowel, creating the effect of hewn stone.

I painted the facade layer of plaster with acrylic paint, and covered the inner layer with wax. Such measures can significantly extend the service life of the finish, relegating concerns about it to the background, which is especially suitable for elderly residents.

Conclusion

The parents were incredibly pleased with the renovation of their home. It has acquired solidity and aesthetics, wall defects have disappeared under a layer of structural plaster, the smell of dampness has ceased to bother me, and traces of contact with animals can now be simply washed off periodically using any detergents.

And remember, choosing the most suitable material for your case is already half the battle. The above overview of current proposals for 2016 will help you with this.

The video in this article will provide you with additional information that is directly related to the topic presented.

Structural plaster for external use allows you to endow a building with special beauty and reliably protect its walls from all kinds of external influences.

If you have additional questions about the material you read, you can ask them in the comments.

Decorative structural plaster in the interior of an apartment looks original and creative. This way you can create your own style and move away from banal solutions to the renovation issue (equal white ceiling and floral wallpaper).

Features of structural plaster

Decorative plaster (structural) has a number of qualities that will help you choose this particular wall covering:

• Decorative plaster is easy to apply.
• Walls after structural plastering can be easily cleaned with soap, water, and washing powders.
• Decorative plaster for walls in its finished form looks stylish and unusual.
• The coating perfectly masks surface imperfections: blisters, microcracks, old paint.
• Decorative plasters are very durable.
• The high plasticity of the plaster will allow you to create any desired relief on the surface.
• Decorative plaster allows the walls to breathe due to the microporous surface.
• If you have a frisky four-legged pet (for example, a cat), you will not need to worry about the integrity of the coating. Cat's claws cannot spoil such “wallpaper.”

Photo 1 - This is what structural plaster looks like

Structural plaster (photo below) is an inherently heterogeneous plaster mass, which contains the addition of various granules (pieces of mica or quartz, small pebbles, wood fibers, etc.) and is made on a mineral basis (potassium silicate or synthetic latex) .

For interior decoration, water-based, odorless plaster is usually used (so that you don’t have to evacuate your beloved grandmother from the apartment), and for facades, solvent-based.

Also, the advantages of decorative plaster include the fact that it does not need to be mixed; it is already sold ready-made in cans or buckets with a volume of 5 to 25 kg. In addition, the plaster is very plastic and “obedient”.

Most often, structural plaster is used for finishing kitchens, bathrooms, ceilings, toilets, hallways, fences and facades.

Decorative plaster is easily applied to a wide variety of surfaces: metal, wood, concrete, brick, plasterboard, cement and others.

Photo 2 - Applying structural plaster

The original color of the plaster is white. Only then can you give it any color. There are two ways to tint structural plaster:

• You can add color to the plaster with your own hands - add pigment to the mixture and mix. However, you should be careful in the dosage of pigment.
• The second way is easier. In the store, when purchasing, ask to immediately tint the mass in the color you need. In this case, you can be confident in the results obtained.

According to the structure, plaster (Ceresit, Microdrewa, Elf, Caparol) can be of two types:

• Coarse grain
• Fine grain

Fine-grained plaster looks smoother on the wall, which is why it is often used for interior spaces. While the coarse-grained texture turns out to be coarser, it is more often used for finishing facades.

Technology of applying decorative plaster

We will tell you how to make this process as simple and fast as possible.

• So, first step. Before applying plaster, we must prepare the surface. The wall should be clean and dry, without traces of old paint or wallpaper. Also get rid of obvious unevenness, the plaster will do the rest itself.
• The second step is to prime the surface. The primer will strengthen the wall, protect it from swelling and dampness, fill microcracks and allow the plaster to lie more securely on the walls.
• Step three - application. The methods for applying plaster will depend on your vision of the final result. You can use a spatula or a textured roller; depending on this, the final pattern on the wall will be different.

Photo 3 – Structural plaster “Bark beetle”

Do not forget to curtain or seal the windows, door slopes and floors, otherwise it will be very difficult to remove the plaster from them later. Also, try to immediately think about how you will apply the material to the walls themselves, since, as in the case of doors, it will be difficult to remove the plaster and re-install it.
When working on corners, apply plaster to both sides and then finish with a corner trowel.

Thanks to its advantages, decorative plaster most often receives positive reviews.

Structural plaster. Price

• Kyiv, structural plaster Ceresit, 25 kg, from 120 UAH.
• Kyiv, structural plaster “Elf”, 15 kg, from 175 UAH.

Structural plaster. Video

Clay plaster (Topleem, Claytec) today is gradually beginning to gain popularity - people are returning to their roots. Clay plaster, unlike other materials, is more environmentally friendly. A house with clay walls will never be too hot or cold, and the air will never remain too humid or dry. Also, clay is a good protector against fungus and mold in the walls.

Clay-sand mortar should be prepared in a ratio of 1:2, cement-clay-sand mortar - 1:2:1 (clay:sand:cement), lime-clay-sand mortar - in the same proportion, replacing cement with lime. 1/10 of asbestos is added to all these solutions.

Photo 4 - Clay plaster

Clay plaster. Price

Kyiv, clay plaster “Mineral” from Claytec, bag 30 kg, 390 UAH, wholesale

Plastering with clay. Video